A Different Kind of Wonderland
by HattersGirl345
Summary: Picking up after the kiss. The story's going to be very long and hopefully twisty. This summary will get better when more chapter are published. Alice/Hatter. Please read!
1. The Explaining

**Hello everyone! A few days ago I was outside and found a poor pitiful baby plot bunny. What could I do? I took it inside and it got me here. I still don't know how this story's going to end, but I hope that the road there is pretty long. Anyway, I hope you like this story!**

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**A Different Kind of Wonderland**

The Explaining

"_I missed you."_ Alice had never heard anything sweeter than those three words. In that moment, she was sure of the two things that she had suspected since that day in the forest, which Jack had so rudely interrupted. The first was the Hatter loved her. Why else would the man leave his world, where he had always lived, and venture blindly out into Alice's world other than that? And he had saved her life countless times. He took a bullet for her, he rescued her from the casino, he was even prepared to fight Jack with a stick. Why else would he do all that? The second thing that Alice now knew is that she loved him back. Last night in the hospital, the pain of thinking that she had lost Hatter was almost too much to bear. She had wondered if she had made the right choice, if she should head back into the Looking Glass and find Hatter. The tears she had shed were not just for her father. They were also for the loss of the man that she realized she had been looking for for a long time. With this realization, Alice closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss.

When Alice and Hatter finally broke apart, they just looked at each other for several seconds. Hatter's eyes shone and he looked like he was about to shout or joy. He had finally done the thing that he had wanted to do for…had it only been three days? But it didn't matter, because he had done it. He had won Alice's heart. A cough from behind them made them both jump. Alice turned to face her mother, her face reddening even as she did so.

"Alice, why did I just see you kissing a man that I'm fairly certain you've never met?" Carol's voice was more quizzical than angry, and she raised an eyebrow. "Is this the way you greet all your guests now?" Alice turned even redder, and Hatter would have laughed, had he not been in the same trouble as she. Instead, he tried to hide behind Alice.

"Um, yeah, er … Mom, David and I are actually good friends, um, well, I guess more than friends. You see, I caught up with Jack last night and tried to give him the ring back. He took it, saying that he would need it and that he was glad I had returned it. Then he told me that maybe we should just break off our relationship. We talked a little and I agreed. He said that he had to go back to his home, because apparently there were some urgent matters to take care of. I asked him if I would see him again, I he said he didn't know. I ran into David after Jack left, and he comforted me. We talked for a while, and he told me that he had had feelings for me for a while, but hadn't known how to tell me. After David left, I wandered the warehouse, thinking about that. I must have tripped and hit my head."

"So David, how did you know that Alice had tripped? And why didn't you tell me that you knew Alice?" Carol was actually buying it. Hatter quickly came up with an answer. He had a lot of practice lying from Wonderland.

"Well, the warehouse has pretty good acoustics, and I was headed back towards Alice anyway. I didn't want to leave her alone in the warehouse. And I didn't properly introduce myself because I thought that it would be easier to explain when Alice was awake." He smiled apologetically, mentally congratulating himself.

"Hmm." Alice's mother wasn't sure how she felt about this. "Well, Alice needs her rest, and you must have something to do; errands, or work, or something. Why don't you come for dinner tomorrow and you can tell me more about yourself?"

"Okay. It would be my pleasure to come to dinner. Alice has told me that you're a very good cook." Hatter was laying it on a bit thick, but he really wanted to make a good impression.

"Okay! Well, we'll see you tomorrow, then!" Alice's mom smiled and clapped her hands. "Alice, why don't you show David to the door, and-"

"Mom, I promised to take David out for pizza last night, before I hit my head. Do you mind if I take him now?" Alice crossed her fingers.

"Fine. But don't be out too long. David, it was nice to meet you, and thank you again for finding Alice. I look forward to tomorrow." Carol sounded the way the evil doctors, Dee and Dum, did before they began to torture their prisoners. Hatter bit his lip.

"Well, bye Mom! C'mon, David." Alice could see how uncomfortable Hatter was getting, and she wanted to get him out of there before her mom began to really question him in earnest. She felt uneasy as well. Her mom was buying a little _too_ easily. Alice knew that something was in store for her, and she had a bad feeling that it would be long and painful. She gulped involuntarily as she took Hatter's hand and led him out the door. Once they were outside, she turned to Hatter and said, "Okay, where are you staying? You can't just live anywhere."

"Jack gave me his old apartment. Turns out the blond snob is not all bad." Hatter grinned at Alice. "Now tell me, how did I do?"

"I think Mom bought it, but she's still suspicious of you. Now our problem is how to turn you into a respectable dinner guest. You're going to need a back-story… and some new clothes. It's time to go shopping."

"But what about pizza?" Hatter cried, running to keep up with Alice as she strode purposefully down the street. "I haven't yet tasted pizza!"

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**Well, that's Chapter One! Comments? Questions? Adoring fan mail or scorching hate letters? The pretty little button at the bottom of the page isn't just for decoration, you know. Press it and tell me what you think. Reviews will keep this story alive and help me make sure that you guys are getting the kind of story that you want. **

**PS: My muse likes cookie baskets. **


	2. The Confrontation

**I forgot to include this in the chapter when I originally published it. I also forgot to do this. Ahem. *clears throat* I do not own Alice, Hatter, or any other characters from the Syfy miniseries Alice. These all belong to the Syfy channel. *sighs* Unfortunately, no amount of begging has changed this. Anyway, here's the chapter!**

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The Confrontation

Alice tiptoed into the apartment, hoping that her mother was asleep. The lights were out and the place was quiet, so maybe her luck would hold and she could get some rest before confronting whatever her mother had planned tomorrow. She almost laughed as she thought about the way Hatter had acted in the stores. She hadn't realized it before, although the rack of jackets and shoes in his office should have tipped her off, but Hatter had a thing for clothes. She had had to restrain him more than once as they toured the various stores. Hatter explained that Jack had given him all the necessary papers, as well as willing his apartment and the money in his bank account to Hatter. That would explain why Hatter and spent several hundred dollars on clothes. He had promised Alice that he was usually very frugal, but she found that slightly hard to believe. She shook her head laughingly. She had promised Hatter to help him organize Jack's-_Hatter's_, she corrected herself sternly-apartment tomorrow. Hatter had been overjoyed when he learned that Alice had never been inside the apartment, and he actually whooped when she expressed her distaste for the garish walls and ridiculously heart and card themed decoration. For all Jack's proclamations of his hate for his mother, he certainly took after her in decorating. Alice and Hatter decided to redecorate as soon as possible.

A light came on in the living room, interrupting Alice's thoughts. She realized she had been standing in the doorway for some time, lost in her musings. Her mother was sitting on the couch, smiling in a way that reminded Alice uncomfortably of a shark. She gulped, and walked over to sit down, putting her purse next to her.

"It's awfully late, Alice." Carol's tone was light, conversational, but the look in her eyes was not. "Where were you that detained you from coming home until twelve thirty in the morning? That's not very responsible." This was a verbal cat-and-mouse and right now Alice felt a lot like a mouse.

"I'm sorry, Mom. Hatter and I went for pizza, and it was really busy. I know that coming back so late was irresponsible, but Hatter and I needed to talk. I'm really tired. I think I'll go to bed." Her explanation was plausible, and Alice hoped that she would be given a pass until tomorrow. She didn't think that she would be able to lie convincingly for much longer. She started towards her room, fingers crossed.

"Not so fast," Carol's hand grabbed her arm. No such luck. Alice bit back a sigh and sat back down. She tried to smile, but it was a failed attempt. "Who is he, Alice?" There was no sugary tone to guise her feelings now. Carol was angry. "Yesterday, before Jack came over, I reminded you of how the dinner seemed to be a kiss of death, and you promised me that Jack was different! Different? Since when does different mean that you toss him out on his ass, follow him to an abandoned warehouse, and wind up kissing another man the next morning? This isn't you, Alice! You're usually so responsible and calm…you've never even mentioned this David before! You say that you've been friends for a while, but if you like him as much as you seem to, how come I've never heard of him? Alice, you're acting like a giddy teenager. What happened at the warehouse?" By the end of her tirade, Carol was no longer angry. She took a deep breath. Alice looked at her warily. She decided to start with the simplest question.

"Mom, I know that my actions must seem really weird, based on what happened yesterday, but the truth is this: Jack wasn't who I thought he was. He lied to me about a lot. I wish I could say that I was suspicious, but I was totally taken in. Last night, when I talked to Jack, he told me that his mother had set him up to marry someone else. He was dating me partially to get away from her. I couldn't believe it. I realized that I had never met his family, friends…we never talked about them, and I never saw him with anyone else. David was there for me. He comforted me and talked to me. He always has. I guess I never mentioned him because our relationship was unremarkable. He was there when I was hurting, but we didn't do a lot of big stuff together or anything. I just felt like it would be a lot to explain." Oh god. Now she was making it sound like they had an affair. She buried her head in her hands. "I don't know why I didn't tell you. I'm sorry, Mom. I guess…" She grasped for a reason to explain. "Well, he had to go away a lot, and a lot of the time we talked on the phone and not in person. I just felt like if I told you, I would feel, I don't know, silly or something. I mean, Ha- David was the best thing that ever happened to me, friend-wise. He just broke down all the barriers. But I didn't want to tell you because it seemed so improbable." Alice shook her head and slumped her shoulders. She was really tired.

Her mom looked at her, disbelieving. "Oh, honey. It's okay. I just don't want him to leave you like…like…Dad did." Tears dripped down her cheeks and she sniffled. Alice moved next to her and wrapped an arm around her mother. How was she going to explain this?

"Mom, Dad didn't leave. He…he was kidnapped and forced to work for a corrupt organization. I don't know why no one found out, but he died a few years ago. The point is, he didn't leave, Mom. He loved us, loved you." Carol let out a shaky breath and looked at Alice disbelievingly.

"How did you find out about this?" Alice scrambled for an easy lie and came up with one quickly. Hatter must be rubbing off on her.

"I got an email…but I deleted it. It was from the Parent Finder site. They said that the organization was in, oh, I don't remember where, but it was brought down recently. It was developing drugs. Anyway, the identification wasn't definite, but they thought that they should let us know anyway. Mom, before you start to take any legal action or anything, just think about-" Alice's mom cut her off.

"I'm not going to take any legal action, sweetie. You always kept searching for Dad, but I knew that he wasn't coming back. I've let him go. But you don't know how much it means, knowing that he was faithful." Carol was crying again, but Alice made no move to stop her. She knew her mom just had to work through this. "Alice, listen. You're an adult now, and it's time for you to make your own decisions. If you love Hatter, be with him. If you don't love him, don't be with him. He seems like a charming man, and I must say he's a step up from Jack. Look. It's your life and I won't intervene. You know that I'm always here for you. Now let's get to bed. You look exhausted." Carol stood up and Alice followed.

"Mom? What do you mean, 'a step up from Jack'?" Alice looked at her mother questioningly.

"We'll talk about it in the morning. Now go on honey, off to bed." Alice obediently went to her room and closed the door. Lying down on the bed, she didn't even manage to take her shoes off before sleep claimed her.

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**Well, that's it! I wasn't going to include this chapter, but Carol never really acts sad about losing Robert, so I thought she must be hiding it. She actually likes Hater, she just doesn't want Alice to be hurt like she was. Anyway, hope it's up to snuff! Thank you so much to reviewers; they are motivating me to continue. *does happy dance* So join the club and press the pretty little button there. My muse needs feeding!**


	3. The Dinner

**Here is Chapter Three! It's my longest yet, although the big adventure has not yet started. If I keep going at my current pace, my story's going to have to be really long. Thank you to all my lovely reviewers, who have praised and motivated moi, the humble writer. Here's the disclaimer: Alice, Hatter, and all other characters and settings belong to SyFy. I only take them and play with them sometimes. Unfortunately, I always have to give them back.**

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The Dinner

When Alice woke up the next morning, her first thought was _'What happened last night?'_ She rose and realized that she still had all her clothes on, so she went to take a long shower. After she finished and was dressed, she walked in the kitchen to get some breakfast and found her mother there. Carol was making eggs and smiling.

"Morning, sweetie. How did you sleep?" Alice shrugged.

"Well enough, I guess. Hey mom? Why did you say that Ha-David was a step up from Jack?" Alice was really curious about this; she had thought that her mother liked Jack.

"Well, he just seemed a little, I don't know, _oily_ to me. He seemed like he was trying to butter me up, that he said things to make me like him, not because they were true. That, combined with the way he treated you, won him a life's supply of distrust from me." Carol shrugged and turned back to the eggs, leaving Alice to ponder over what she had said. Her mother had picked up on Jack's lies immediately, whereas she had believed every word out of his mouth. Alice was overwhelmed with anger, but she bit it back down. Although Jack had lied to her and manipulated her, he had a good reason for doing so, and everything had turned out well. If Jack hadn't lied to her and led her through the Looking Glass, she never would have found out about her father. She never would have met Hatter. With that thought, Alice's anger disappeared completely. She sat down, thinking.

"Sweetie?" Carol's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Do you want eggs?"

"Yes, please, Mom." Alice smiled at her mother, wondering how she ended up with someone like Carol when there were Mary Elizabeth Constance Devilious Hearts out there. She took a moment to feel bad for Jack before shoving him in a drawer in the back of her head. She didn't want to think about him anymore.

"And sweetie?" Carol looked at her daughter, curious. "Why do you call David Hatter?" Alice jumped little, taken by surprise. Carol continued, oblivious. "Is it because he wears a hat?" Alice remembered her own thoughts on this subject a few days ago. It felt like forever.

"No, it's because he's…" Alice thought about the bogus line he had fed her. "Yeah it is, Mom." Carol presented Alice with a plate of eggs, which Alice consumed, ravenous. "Hey Mom? Let's not talk about last night again." Carol smiled maternally. She knew how hard it was for her daughter to talk about her feelings and such things.

"Of course, sweetie." Alice brought her plate to the sink and smiled at her mother.

"Mom, I have to go shopping, okay? I need some things for…um…" Alice wasn't good at lying.

"Go spend the day with David, sweetie. It's fine." Carol rolled her eyes at her daughter.

"Mom, I'm not going to…yeah, I am. See you tonight, Mom." Alice grabbed her bag and walked out the door. Once said door was firmly closed behind her, she ran down the stairs and out to Hatter's apartment. She had never been in love like this before. She just wanted to see Hatter. When she got to the door, though, a little voice niggled in the back of her mind. _'Whoa,'_ it said, _'aren't you moving a little fast? You've only known this Hatter guy for three days. Do you remember how charming he can be? He can convince anyone of anything. What kind of person wears bulletproof armor around, hmm? One who thinks that they have reason to be shot, that's what kind.' _Then the door opened and there was Hatter. His face spread into a huge grin and that stupid niggling voice disappeared, along with all of Alice's doubts.

"Hey," she said. "Can I come in?" She felt like a teenager in love. The feeling was weird, but she liked it.

He rolled his eyes. "No, you may not. You will just have to stay out here." He smiled again. "Get in here!" Alice smiled and Hatter's heart melted. He lived for that smile. Alice walked in and sat down on the couch, one of the only pieces of furniture not covered in red, hearts, or cards. The couch was dark leather and Alice wouldn't have pegged it as Jack's taste. He seemed more posh than that.

"C'mere. I have a secret for you." Hatter sat down next to Alice, who raised her eyebrows and leaned closer suspiciously. Hatter motioned her closer, closer…and captured her lips in his. The kiss took Alice completely by surprise and left her gasping. Hatter jumped off the couch laughing.

"You big liar! You cheater!" Alice crossed her arms and pouted like a five-year-old. She wouldn't usually act like that, but Hatter's immaturity was contagious. He just laughed again. "That was an ambush, you know. Strictly against the rules." Alice pouted some more, wondering why she was doing so. This was so different than her usual behavior. Part of her was really frightened by this and wanted to stop, but a larger part of her liked it. It felt so free.

"You didn't like it?" Hatter seemed genuinely upset by this prospect, but mirth danced behind his eyes. Alice rolled her eyes and snorted.

"It's was wonderful. Now c'mere, because _I _have a secret for _you_, but you have to close your eyes." Alice smirked a little as Hatter came over and closed his eyes, obviously expecting more kissing. Instead, Alice snatched his omnipresent hat of his head and ran.

"Oi! That was my hat!" Hatter bellowed as he jumped up and chased his girlfriend around the flat. Alice was laughing her head off as she danced away from her disgruntled boyfriend. This was hilarious. "C'mon, Alice, please? That was really unfair. Please?" Hatter switched tactics and stood where he was, making a pleading face. Alice looked at him, his chocolate big puppy dog eyes, and she melting. She walked over, taking he hat off her head…but just Hatter's expression changed o one of triumph, she pushed the hat back on her head and danced away again. Hatter growled. "You little…" So saying he chased her back to the couch and tackle her. "Got you!" He grabbed the hat and pushed it back on his head before standing up, triumphant. Alice just rolled her eyes again.

"Believe it or not, I actually have a reason to be here." She fixed her boyfriend with the most serious look she could, considering that his hair was more messy than usual and he was giving her this goofy grin. "You're coming to dinner with my mother tonight, and you need a back story. Where you came from, your family, how we met, et cetera, et cetera. You also need a better knowledge of this world."

"I have a wonderful knowledge of this world!" Hatter was indignant.

"Do you know how to use a computer?" Alice raised her eyebrows.

"Umm…no. But I can learn!"

"I know. That's why I'm here. You're going to learn about computers, money, how to act around people, and whatever else you need to know to fit in better. No, Hatter," Alice cut off Hatter's retort, "You don't fit in. Yet." She walked over to the computer in the office with Hatter trailing behind. It was going to be a long day.

oXo8oXo

At 6:10 that afternoon, Alice left Hatter's flat. She went grocery shopping and got all the ingredients for spaghetti and meatballs, which Hatter promised her he loved. When she got back to her flat, it was 6:30. Alice put the grocery bag down on the kitchen counter and went to her computer. As she sat down, she realized how much this was like the last time a boyfriend had come over. That night was the start of her adventure in Wonderland. Maybe tonight would be the start of a new adventure. She wasn't checking Parent Finder today, though. Instead, she sent an email to Hatter's new account. She reminded him to wear the black fedora instead of the porkpie and to wear the outfit that they had picked out earlier. She reminded him to be there at six sharp. _Love you,_ she ended the email. She hoped that Hatter remembered to check his email. If he showed up dressed like a Wonderlander, she would club him.

Carol walked into the room just as Alice was signing off. "Okay," she said. "Let's make pasta." Alice smiled and followed her mother. At five minutes to seven, Carol shooed Alice into her room. "Go! Do your makeup and everything. I can finish this." Alice walked into her room, moving straight to her closet. She needed to wear something nice and not blue.

"No more clichés for me," Alice muttered to herself as she looked through some dresses. She didn't have many fancy clothes. Alice finally decided on her 'little black dress'. It was velvety and hung to just above her knees. "Perfect," she thought. She paired the dress with nude stockings and some low silver heels she had. This was more formal than usual, but she had a feeling that Hatter would like the look. At least, she hoped so. Alice finished her hair and makeup just as the door buzzed. Alice walked over ad opened it, her stomach fizzing as though she had swallowed a hundred anti-acid tablets. Why was she so nervous? It was just Hatter. _'No,' _Alice thought, _'there's no _just _about it.'_ She opened the door and there stood Hatter.

"Wow," the man in question said. "You look amazing." Alice blushed.

"Not so bad yourself." That was an understatement, she thought to herself. Hatter had combed his hair a little, but Alice had told him to leave it mostly. She had said that he wasn't himself without his mussed up do. His black fedora was perched on top of his spiky locks and he was wearing a light purple-blue dress shirt. He was also wearing dark dress pants and a black leather jacket. It was almost identical to his tan jacket except in color. Hatter bent down and planted a short kiss on Alice's lips before following her in.

"David!" Carol came out of the dining room, a big smile on her face. "Come in! The table's set and everything's ready." Alice squeezed her boyfriend's hand and led him in. When they were all seated, Carol turned to Hatter. "So, David! Tell me about yourself. Where are you from?" Hatter smiled; he and Alice and worked hard to create this back story and he was fairly certain that it was convincing.

"I'm from Yorkshire. Me mum and dad owned a tea shop. I was their only child. Unfortunately, when I was eight, they were killed in a fire. I lived with me aunt until I was eighteen, and then I came here for college." Hatter's smile had turned sad; what Alice didn't know was that his parents _had_ died in a fire. Carol nodded knowingly.

"I'm very sorry to hear that. So how is your aunt?"

"She's still alive, although she's about seventy by now. I plan to visit her soon, but I don't know when."

"That's good. Well, as you may or may not know, Alice lost her father ten years ago. It was hard on both of us." Carol looked strangely peaceful as she said this. Alice thought it was because her mother finally knew that Robert hadn't left, that he had been faithful.

"Yes, Alice told me. I'm very sorry. It's hard to lose someone you love." Everyone was quiet for a moment as they thought about it. Then Carol broke the silence.

"So, David, what was your major in college?"

oXo8oXo

The dinner was wonderful. Hatter said all the right things, everyone enjoyed the food, and Carol completely bought the story. After dinner and dessert, Hatter had to go. Alice walked him to the door.

"Thanks for coming," she smiled. "It was really great."

"Yeah," Hatter agreed. "Your mum bought the story hook, line, and sinker. I think she likes me!" Alice rolled her eyes at this proclamation.

"Do you like her?"

"Yes. Your mother is very nice. And she makes great spaghetti!" Alice laughed.

"You should know. You ate enough for two! How can you consume that much, Hatter? There isn't an ounce of fat on you, and you're not the biggest person I've ever met."

Hatter just winked. "Extra fast metabolism." Alice rolled her eyes.

"Well, as much as I would love for you to stay and eat all of our food, you have to go. It's 9:30, and my mom needs her rest." Hatter laughed.

"Well, give me a kiss for the road, then." Alice obliged, pecking him on the cheek. He just shook his head.

"Sorry, Alice, that doesn't cut it." And before she could protest, he kissed her full on the mouth. When they broke apart, both were gasping a little.

"Now go, before I have to knock you out and carry you to your apartment. No, Hatter," Alice added when she aw hat he was actually starting to consider the idea. "Goodnight, you goof."

"Goodnight," he said. He started walking away and Alice closed the door. Funny how she missed him already. The little voice in her head took that as its cue. _'Look how attached you are,' _it said. _'What are you going to do when he eaves you? You'll die, my dear.' _"Shut up," Alice told it, whispering. "We'll never know because he's not going to leave."

"Did you say something, sweetie?" Alice looked up to see her mother come in.

"No, nothing," Alice smiled. "So, what do you think of Hatter?"

"He's very nice," said Carol. "I like him. Poor young man, losing his parents at eight. It must have been horrible. He's very sweet, though. So, he's working in construction until he has enough money to open a shop?" Alice nodded. "Well, honey, you have my full approval," Carol joked.

"Thanks, Mom," Alice laughed. "Well, I'm really tired; I think I'm going to go to bed."

"Alright, sweetie. Goodnight." Alice changed out of her dress and shoes. She pulled on some comfortable pajamas and lay down on the bed. Even though she had meant to go to sleep, she stayed awake for hours, her thoughts circling like birds in her head.

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**So that's Chapter Three. Hope you liked it. My muse is always hungry and cookie baskets are greatly appreciated. The review button beckons you. Give in to the temptation and let me know what you think! More reviews equals a happy author! Also, I have to agree with Casy Dee and catesy: Hatter loves clothes! Why else would he keep a rack of clothes in his office? Smiles and happiness!**


	4. The Quiet Day

**Okay, this is Chapter Four. It's a bit different from my other chapters in that the time frame is shorter. I hope you like it! Oh, and on a random side note, the URL for Alice's dress is posted on my profile page. I haven't tested whether or not it actually works, so if it doesn't, let me know.**

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The Quiet Day

"Mom," Alice called after breakfast, "I'm going over to Hatter's. I'll be back soon." She started towards the door, but her mother's voice stopped her.

"Honey, you saw Hatter yesterday, and the day before. I can understand visiting a little, but you were at his apartment all day. Maybe you should just move in with him." Carol meant it as a joke, but for a moment Alice wondered if her mother was serious. She smiled half-heartedly.

"I promise you I'll stay here tomorrow and hang out with you, Mom. It's just that, um…I want to make up for the time that I wasn't with Hatter. And we're actually going out today. I just want to be with him. I mean, er, first stage of love, right? I'm sure it will wear off, or something…" Alice trailed off uncertainly. She really needed to get Hatter to teach her to lie. She was horrible at it.

Her mother waved her out, though, saying "I'll hold you to it, Alice." Based on her mother's expression, Alice was fairly certain she was serious. Alice tried not to gulp theatrically as she left. Walking down the street toward Hatter's, the little voice in Alice's head piped up again. Alice considered giving it a name, but that would mean acknowledging it. _'You know,'_ it said, _'you are moving quite fast. You see him every day. What will you do when he doesn't want to see you anymore? What will you do when he decides you're moving too fast? Where is that wonderful, cautious Alice that we know and love? She knew her boundaries and because of that, she was never hurt. This new Alice is going to be dropped on her head. So where is this old Alice? What happened to her?' _Alice felt as though the voice was burrowing a hole in her brain. It was burrowing holes in her securities and love, leaving gaping holes of uncertainty.

"Shut up!" Alice hissed, prompting a few stares from people around her. Alice blushed and walked faster. Once she was in a less crowded area, Alice addressed the voice's last question. "Wonderland happened," she whispered truthfully. The old Alice couldn't survive in Wonderland. She was too caged up within herself to trust anyone else, and she had to trust other people, as she had no knowledge of Wonderland. _I had to evolve,_ Alice thought. _I couldn't lead all the time. _She thought of all the times Hatter and Charlie and other people had saved her. Even her father had saved her, taking a the bullet that ended his life. A tear escaped at the thought, but the hurt was mostly gone. Even though she kept trying to find her father, he was kind of gone in her eyes. She knew he was there, though. Alice knew that their life would be very strange if her father was thrust back into it. Alice and her mother had evolved, just as Alice had evolved in the past few days. People had risked their lives for her. _Hatter _had risked his life for her, again and again. Why would someone do that if they didn't love the person they were saving? Alice realized that she had reached Hatter's door, and she felt uncomfortable and nervous all over again. What if he didn't want to see her? What if he needed more space? Alice clamped down on those thoughts before the Voice could come back. Those wheedling insecurities were the last thing she needed right now.

The door opened and Hatter swooped her in before she could even say hi. "What was that about?" She asked as soon as the door was closed and her feet were planted on the ground again. Hatter laughed, and Alice's heart warmed at the sound. Her doubts were once again shoved to the back of her mind.

"_That_, Alice my dear, was a belated celebration of our success at dinner last night. You mom believed every word we said." He swooped her up in another hug, causing her to shriek with laughter and surprise.

"Hatter, would you put me down? We actually have some work to do, you know. And the only reason we had such a good story was because we spent the better part of the afternoon working on it. Today, we have to decide what we're getting rid of here and you're going to explain to me, in great detail, what happened between my coming through the Looking Glass the second time and your coming through the Looking Glass. What did you get from Jack or whoever gave you all the stuff you need? We also need to get you a job. Do you have enough money to start a business?" Hatter pretended to pout at all the mature topics they were going to have to discuss. Alice rolled her eyes. "It's not going to be fun, but we have to do it. C'mon. We can start with tackling the apartment." Alice strode into the bedroom and Hatter, heaving a great sigh, followed.

"Alice, before you dismantle the apartment, please remember that I _live_ here." Alice laughed and Hatter sighed again, acting for all the world as though he had to carry a great burden. Then Alice dove into the closet, and Hatter followed suit.

oXo8oXo

Three hours later, Jack's clothes had all been removed from the closet and put in a large garbage bag. Rugs, curtains, and other such things were in another garbage bag. Alice and Hatter had marked which pieces of furniture they were getting rid of, and the two of them slumped tiredly on the couch, which they were keeping. They just sat for a few minutes, not speaking. Hatter broke the silence.

"Where is all this stuff going to go?" He doubted they were going to throw the stuff away or burn it, as he wanted to. Alice turned to him.

"We're going to bring it to a thrift shop. People who don't have the resources to get new things can go there and buy used stuff for a lower price. We just donate the stuff." Hatter nodded; that made sense.

"Honestly, though, what kind of bloke would want these?" He pulled a pair of curtains, bright red and covered in black and white dots, from one of the garbage. "It hurts me eyes just to look at them!" He shoved the curtains back in the bag. Alice snickered.

"Well, maybe a blind person could use them." She tried to be serious, but it was hard with the face that Hatter was pulling. "Stop it!" She collapsed in laughter against Hatter's chest and he looked at her solemnly.

"Alice, darling, if you stare at those curtains for more than five seconds, you _become_ blind." Alice laughed.

"Alright," she said when she had regained her composure, "No more jokes. You need to tell me where you got all of-" she gestured around the apartment. "-Everything." Hatter pulled her close to him.

"Okay, here's what happened. After the technician guy shoved you through the Looking Glass, I tried to leave. I wasn't actually sure where I was going to go, but I just wanted to get away. Then Jack appeared. I was ready to floor him right there, but he told me that he had an offer to make me. He told me the he had proposed to you, at which point I almost _did_ punch him. He told me to stop and said that you didn't want him. That you wanted me. He said that if I wanted, he would set up all the necessary papers so I could follow you through the Glass. I said yes before he had even finished. It took him about four days to get everything in order. I didn't take part in the record creating, because I really didn't care. Then, on the fourth day, Jack called me back to his office-I was staying in the palace. He told me that the last step of the process was one that I would be included in. He gave me a piece of paper which he said bequeathed-his word, not mine-his bank account and apartment to me. He told me to give that piece of paper to the lady at the bank, so I did. He also gave me a key to his apartment and something called a 'wallet', which had a piece of plastic with my picture on it and lots of pieces of paper in it. Apparently they're not so pointless here."

"Wait," Alice interrupted, "You didn't know what a wallet is?" She tried not to laugh.

"Well, I know now. That's what counts," Hatter sniffed. Alice just laughed and kissed him. "Anyway, Jack led me to the Looking Glass and told me that it had been set for the same time you had gone through. He told me to take a deep breath, but before I could, he shoved me through. If we ever go back to Wonderland, I am going to clock him for that." Alice laughed at Hatter's murderous expression.

"So, you have a substantial bank account, huh? Is it enough to buy a piece of property? Because you could buy a shop and open a hat store or something." Hatter laughed.

"That's a pretty good idea, actually. Maybe I could even buy the warehouse. As far as I know, no one's using it. We could buy it and keep an eye of the Looking Glass, yeah?" Alice thought about it.

"I don't know, Hatter. I think that we should leave the Looking Glass alone, personally. In fact, Jack probably owns that property. Why don't we find a different, smaller place?" Hatter shrugged.

"Okay. Whatever you want, Alice. Hey, are you hungry? I am." Alice laughed.

"Hatter, you're _always_ hungry. But, yes, I'm hungry too. Do you have any food here?" She looked up at Hatter. He rolled his eyes.

"No, no food, Alice. I've simply been eating pieces of the wall to sustain myself. Of course I have food! Come on, we'll have sandwiches." He lifted Alice off his lap and she followed him into the kitchen. He pulled out bread and sandwich meats, as well as the other things one would put in a sandwich. Alice grabbed a kettle, filled it with water, and put it on the stove. Then she and Hatter made their sandwiches and, once the water boiled, tea. As they sat on the couch afterwards, eating, Alice turned to Hater.

"You know, I could get used to this."

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**That's it. I know that it's a little short, but it was the best I could do on short notice. My internet is going to be iffy for about a week, so I don't know how much I'm going to be able to post. Remember to review! Reviews equal happiness and love...and cupcakes!**


	5. The Shopping Excursion

**Hello again, my dear readers. First off, I would like to make a public apology for being such a b*tch as to wait so long to post. I blew you all off, and I'm sorry. I posted a longer apology on my profile, just so you know. Second, I hope this chapter is good. It's really short, and I don't think I did a very good job on this one. But, um, _c'est la vie,_ I suppose. If you're reading this and you were one of the people who were forced to wait, thank you for sticking by me. If you're reading this whole story for the first time, I hope you enjoy it.**

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The Shopping Excursion

When Alice finally got home that night, her mother had only rolled her eyes and reminded Alice that they were going shopping tomorrow. Alice groaned inwardly at the thought, because she really didn't like shopping. But then again, maybe it would be fun. With that in mind, Alice had slouched off to bed. As she was getting ready for bed, she mused over how tired she was, but before she could explore the observation any further, she fell asleep.

oX8Xo

The next morning, Alice woke up earlier than usual. Rubbing her face, she stumbled into the shower, still half-asleep. Half an hour later, she walked into the kitchen feeling much more conscious. Her mother smiled at her from where she was making pancakes. Alice yawned and stretched before slumping at the table and giving her mother a tired smile back. Alice couldn't figure out why she was so tired all the time. She had never been a morning person, but…

"Honey, how many pancakes do you want?" Her mother's voice brought Alice out of her reverie. She shrugged. "I'll give you three, then. Oh, and Alice? The dojo called. They were wondering if you would teach classes again, if you feel up to it. They said they understood that you got pretty badly hurt." That last sentence brought Alice's eyes up to her mother's uncomfortable face.

"Mom…"

"Okay, honey, I may have told them that it was worse than it really was, but what could I do? I'm your mother! And I wanted you to have time to figure everything out with Hatter." The words came tumbling out in a rush before Carol checked herself. The next sentences were much more controlled. "Honey, I know how much the dojo means to you, but I wanted to see that you were in control of the rest of your life. After what happened with Jack, I wanted to make sure that you were okay." Carol handed Alice a plate of pancakes and turned back to the stove.

Alice didn't know whether to laugh or yell. She decided to do neither, but a few giggles escaped anyway and her mom looked at her curiously. Alice tried to regain her composure. "Mom, I don't think that I've seen you act lie that since…since I can remember. Why are you so worried?" Carol shrugged.

"You know, honey, I don't know what Hatter has done to you, but I'll have to thank him for it. A few days ago, you would be shouting at me. You're like a teenager again. I'm glad that you're so…relaxed, I suppose. But remember that you're still a responsible adult, and you have to act like one, whether you like it or not." By now Alice had sobered up, and she looked at her mother carefully.

"You didn't answer my question, Mom."

"Didn't I? I guess I was worried you would be upset about being away from the dojo. Apparently not. Now eat your pancakes; we have shopping to do." Alice refrained from making a remark about how silly that last sentence sounded and obliged. As soon as the dishes were cleared, she and her mother were heading out the door.

"So, where are we going?" Alice asked her mother. She hadn't been shopping in a while, and she was surprised to find that she was excited at the prosepect of buying clothes. '_Ahem!' _The Voice cried. _'You're buying a bunch of clothes? Why? You're clothes are fine! You don't, um…augh! You're being-'_

"Oh shut up!" Alice mouthed, and the Voice disappeared. It was losing ground quickly, because, honestly, it didn't have a leg to stand on. Alice suddenly realized that her mother had been talking while she, Alice, had her little conversation with the Voice. She looked at her mother, embarrassed. "Hey mom? Can you repeat that, please?" Carol looked at her daughter, a little surprised.

"Sure, honey. I said I thought that we could go to the Body Shop and Sephora, as well as some clothing stores. They're in this new department store; I can't remember its name…" Carol trailed off. "Does that sound all right, honey?" Alice nodded. It was strange to see her mother so excited over something like clothes shopping. She realized that it had been a very long time since she and her mother had gone shopping. That was why Carol was so happy. Alice made a mental note to do things with her mother more often.

A few more blocks and Carol led Alice into a large department store. Alice followed her mother into The Body Shop and walked over to the perfumes. She had decided that she needed something to wear the next time she actually went somewhere with Hatter. Maybe she would wear it the next time she saw Hatter, whether they went out or not…Alice focused on the fragrances in front of her; choosing one at random and applying a little to her wrist to try. She sniffed it, deciding that it was too intense for her. Putting it back she picked another and tried it. It was better, but not to her taste. She continued to try on perfumes for a few minutes before her mother called her over.

"Honey, what do you think of this color lipstick?" Alice then remembered what shopping with her mother was actually _like._ It was going to be a long shopping trip.

oX8Xo

When Alice and Carol finally got home, their bags heavy and their wallets light, it was already getting dark. Carol unlocked the apartment door and both walked in. Carol went to make dinner, leaving her bags in the living room. Alice headed off to her room to hang everything up. She couldn't believe the amount she'd spent. So much money! Delving into the first bag she could reach, Alice grabbed a hanger and an article of clothing, making quick work of hanging it up. She repeated the action with the rest of the bag's contents before moving onto the next bag. She stopped her manic work when she reached the things that would go in drawers, carefully folding and sorting the clothes.

Her hand paused at a light green sleeveless tunic. It was embroidered with beads and sequins around the collar and was silky soft, and it was one of Alice's favorites. She decided to wear it when she went to see Hatter, and she dug through her drawers to find something to wear it with. Stopping suddenly, she pulled out a black pair of leggings that stopped at her mid-calf. They were tossed on the bed next to the shirt. Digging through accessories, Alice found a wide brown belt punched with flowerlike designs, and that landed on the bed too. Finally Alice grabbed a pair of knee-high brown boots with gold buckles and a pair of gold hoops. Looking over her decisions, Alice nodded to herself. That would work. She went back to folding clothes and finished just as the phone rang.

"I'll get it!" She called to her mom. Walking over and grabbing the phone, she smiled to hear Hatter's silky voice.

"So, what did you do today?"

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**So that's it. I feel like I wrote Carol way out of character. I can promise better chapters later, but I just wanted to get this one out. Um, I'm also going to be writing a sort of fluff piece for _Primeval_ with a high school AU. I apologize if I'm stealing anyone's ideas. School is starting soon, so I'll probably be posting every Saturday. Hopefully. I love you all and I must say you are the best.**


	6. The Big Decision

**Okay, here's the next chap! Sorry it's a day late, but I can't promise that each chap will be on Saturday. Some will be on Sunday. I love you all, my dear readers!**

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The Big Decision

Alice yawned and stretched as she got out of bed. She had stayed up very late talking to Hatter after dinner, detailing every minute of her shopping trip before listening to him tell her everything about his day. He talked about what he did most, but he finished with, "…but I spent the whole day missing you." Alice's heart had melted. She had fallen asleep hearing his voice in her head.

Carol's voice jolted Alice out of her thoughts. "Alice, call for you!" Alice walked in and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Alice! Listen, sorry to call you when we just talked last night, but I really need your help. As soon as possible. When do you think you can come over today?" Hatter's voice lifted the fog of sleep from Alice's mind. She wondered what could be so important that she needed to be there. Then she realized that it was an excuse to see Hatter, and she really didn't care what the reasoning was.

"Okay, I can come over now. I need to shower and get dressed and I'll grab breakfast on the way. Sound good?"

"Yes, sure. In fact, I'll make you breakfast. Oh, will your mom be okay?" Alice's smile faltered as she thought of how this would sound to her mother, but she didn't want to tell Hatter that.

"Oh yeah, Mom will be fine! No problem! I'm sure she'll have something to do…anyway; I'll be there in a second. Got to go. Love you," Alice hung up. T_'That', _she scolded herself mentally, _'was not smooth. Not smooth at all, Alice.' _She sighed and went to talk to her mother.

oX8Xo

On the other end of the phone, Hatter sighed too. He knew he shouldn't have brought up Carol! Alice and her mother had a good relationship, but things seemed a bit uncomfortable where he was concerned. Damn! And he had ruined a perfectly good day. _'Ah well,' _he thought, _'At least she's still coming over. I'm glad she bought the urgent matter story. Why did I use that on her? I suppose I just wanted to see her. Damn, that was stupid.' _Hatter walked into the kitchen to start breakfast, feeling guilty.

oX8Xo

Alice walked into the kitchen apprehensively. She had decided to talk to her mother _after_ she was dressed, as she was fairly sure she would seem more adult if she wasn't in her pajamas. She gulped and hoped she wasn't leading herself to the chopping block. _'Why am I so worried?' _She asked herself. _'Maybe it's because Mom's in a good mood and I don't want to ruin it. She was so happy that we went shopping. I don't want to burst her bubble. Well, I guess it's unavoidable.'_

"Sweetie," said Carol as Alice reached the threshold, "What do you want for breakfast?" Alice felt so guilty.

"Er, well, ah, Mom, um, I think that I'm going to uh-" Alice was blushing.

"-David's?" Carol cut her off. "Oh, I suppose that's okay. I guess I just thought that you would like having a little break from your boyfriend. I see I was wrong. It's fine. Are you getting breakfast there?" Alice nodded. The guilt was still there, but she pushed it to the back of her mind. Her mom had said yes, if halfheartedly. Alice decided that she might as well just go.

"Yeah, I am. Thank you so much, Mom." Alice went to the door and as she walked out, Carol muttered to herself.

"Alice is acting like a teenager again. How strange."

oX8Xo

Alice knocked tentatively on the door and it swung open. Hatter stood there, grinning. He grabbed her hand and pulled her in. Alice smiled at his goofy attire: low-slung jeans, silvery-gray silk boxers, a top hat, and no shirt. Hatter pulled Alice down on the couch next to him and she turned.

"Where's your shirt?" She giggled. Anyone else would look like an idiot, but Hatter managed to pull off the outrageous look. Hatter grinned like a loony.

"I forgot to put the lid on the blender and it exploded all over me, well, my shirt, anyway. So I took it off." Alice rolled her eyes. Of course Hatter would forget to put the lid on the blender, not that she minded the view. Then she thought of something.

"Is the kitchen a mess?" She glared at her boyfriend. He held up his hands.

"Only some of it," he said defensively.

"_Which _some of it?"

"The ceiling," Hatter blushed. Alice shook her head in disbelief. Leave it to her silly boyfriend from another world to coat the ceiling in pureed fruit. She stood up to go clean it and Hatter pulled her back down onto his lap.

"Hatter, I have to go clean up your mess! C'mon, you're helping." With that, Alice jumped up, grabbed Hatter's hand, and dragged him into the kitchen. She grabbed a chair and pulled it over to the corner where the mess was. Grabbing some paper towels, she proceeded to wipe up most of the pink goop. She handed the gross paper towels down to Hatter, who took them carefully and threw them in the garbage with a look of disgust on his face. Alice rolled her eyes and got down before turning to Hatter.

"Oh no," he groaned, anticipating her thoughts. She smiled sweetly.

"Your turn," she sing-songed. He groaned again as Alice handed him the paper towels and proceeded to walk away. "I'll be right back," she called as she left the room. "I just need to get something." And with that, Alice disappeared into the other room. She went to her purse and grabbed her camera. She had brought it with the intention of taking some picture of Hatter – _normal_ pictures – but this was too good to pass up. Walking back into the kitchen, Alice grinned. Hatter looked down at her as she crossed the threshold.

"Just what have you got there?" He said suspiciously. Alice tried not to laugh.

"This, Hatter my dear, is a camera. You press this little button and it records a picture of whatever you aim it at. Watch!" And before Hatter could react, Alice pressed the shutter and the camera flashed in his face.

"Augh!" He shrieked. "I'm blinded! What the hell _was_ that, Alice?" Alice tried to answer him, but she was laughing too hard. Sinking to the ground, she clutched her stomach and guffawed. After a few minutes, she got control of herself enough to look at the picture in the camera and she cracked up again. In it, Hatter was standing on the chair holding a yucky paper towel, but his face was the funny bit. His expression was one of total surprise, and one of his hands was just starting to come up and shield his eyes. Alice tried to catch her breath as Hatter jumped off the chair and came to stand over her, glaring.

"That was _not_ funny, Alice. Now what do you say?" He wore a look of disapproving superiority, and Alice was biting back peals of laughter.

"You're right, Hatter," she managed to gasp. "It wasn't funny. It was _hilarious!_" She collapsed, giggling. Hatter rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help snickering himself. The whole situation was so ridiculous.

"C'mon, get up, you loon," he dragged Alice into the living room and onto the couch, where she slowly recovered her giggle fits. Hatter sat, thinking. "Alice," he said suddenly, "How would you feel about living with me?" That got rid of her giggle fits. Alice sat up abruptly.

"Seriously, Hatter?" He nodded. "Well, um, I don't know. Sure. Why not?" Alice smiled at her boyfriend, who smiled back. Then he jumped up.

"Now come with me, Alice. I need your help with something." He dragged her over to the computer. "Sit," he commanded. "I was online yesterday, trying to find some property, and I had almost no luck. Can you help me? Please?" Alice looked at him, confused.

"Sure, but what do you need property for?" Hatter shook his head firmly.

"Nope, I'm not going to tell you. Just help," Alice rolled her eyes and turned back to the computer. She opened Google.

"Okay, let's see what we can find."

oX8Xo

Alice groaned to herself as she opened the door. She was home late again. Carol was going to be upset. Alice hadn't meant to come home so late; time had gotten away from her. She and Hatter had spent hours researching buildings for sale in the area, and then they watched a movie. Hatter had decided that he loved Jim Carrey after seeing _Batman Forever_. He had heard about the _Batman_ movies while buying food, apparently, and when they turned on the TV and saw that one was playing on ABC Family, Hatter demanded they watch it. Alice had said okay. She hadn't realized how late that would send her home. She felt so guilty about her mom, but she also enjoyed the freedom of just being with Hatter. He was more than her boyfriend. He was also her brother, her son, and her father, not to mention her friend. Plus, he was her comrade-in-arms, the only other person who had experienced Wonderland with her. What else could she want?

Alice yelped as, lost in her thoughts, she walked into the coffee table. _'Not very graceful, Alice,'_ she thought. Rubbing her shin, Alice walked into her room and collapsed on the bed. She pulled off her boots and threw them on the floor before exchanging the rest of her clothing for cotton pajamas. Pulling out her earrings, she trudged into the bathroom and hurriedly brushed her teeth. She grabbed an elastic and pulled her hair into a ponytail as, yawning, she tiptoed on a whim to her mother's room. Carol was reading in bed, not asleep as Alice had expected. Alice moved a little ways into the room.

"Goodnight, Mom."

"Alice! So nice of you to drop by!" Carol looked up from her book in mock surprise before dropping the affectation. Alice could see the tiredness in her eyes. "Honey, why are you home so late?" The resignation in Carol's voice was even worse than anger, and Alice felt something break inside her. Why was this so hard?

"I'm sorry, Mom. Time got away from me. It was an accident. I'm sorry." Alice looked at her feet, unable to face her mother.

"You're moving in with him, aren't you?" There was nothing accusatory in Carol's voice, only that bone-numbing acceptance, as if it was a fight and Carol knew she had already lost. Alice felt as though she was pleading guilty in a trail; as though moving in with Hatter was a great evil. "Alice, are you moving in with Hatter?" The question floated in the air for some time, and Alice felt as though the physical force of moving her lips to form a 'yes' was almost too much to bear. It had to be done, though. Alice forced her mouth to move, her tongue to make sound.

"Yes." The word dropped like a stone, and Alice waited for the blade she was sure hung over her neck to fall. She waited for the gavel to land, the sentence to be passed. She held back the urge to slide down the wall and curl up like a small child.

"Well, then. I hope you enjoy the apartment. Please visit sometimes." Alice could almost hear the echo of the gavel banging down, almost feel the whoosh as the blade fell. Sentence passed. Court dismissed. Alice fought tears as she trudged to her bed, tried not to think about her mother's quiet words. "I hope you enjoy the apartment. Please visit sometimes." As though Alice were leaving this minute. Her mother's voice had held no bitterness, no feeling at all. The words were empty of emotion, dull as a corpse. That was what brought the tears to Alice's eyes.

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**So that's it. I know that the moving in thing isn't very well written, but I want to get on to the main plot. Believe it or not, this is all just setup. I have to go, can't write a longer note. Please review!**


	7. The Nightmares

**Hello! Here's Chapter Seven, one week late. My stupid Internet crashed, and it took forever to publish, so this is on of my longest chapters, I think. I hope you like it.**

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The Nightmares

Alice's sleep that night was plagued by nightmares. The first one had started out all right. In it, she and Hatter had been picnicking at the edge of the lake, in the Forest of Wabe. They had both been enjoying themselves when they heard a distant roar in the forest. Alice had been worried, but Hatter had brushed it off. A few minutes later, the roar came again, closer, and again Alice was spooked. Hatter again brushed off her concern, and they relaxed. After another ten minutes, though, the roar came again, very close. This time Hatter didn't try to calm Alice down. They both rushed to the boat, but they couldn't find it! They searched frantically for the boat, and finally Hatter found it and they were back at the little dock on the other side of the lake, March and the Suits bearing down on them. Even though Alice recognized this sequence of events, she was still frightened, and breathed a long sigh of relief when the boat started and they got out on the water. But the clouds closed in and the wind kicked up, and all of a sudden the waves were huge. Alice was swept back to a summer when she went tubing on Lake Champlain as a child at age nine. Boating back across the lake to the campsite, a huge storm appeared and the boat started taking on water. Her dad had done his best to steer, but they had almost capsized and everyone was too frightened to go way out again. Alice looked at her father at the wheel, but Hatter was there instead. He was trying to fight the weather, but it was a losing battle. Alice was telling him to drive to the shore, but he kept yelling something about having to brave the storm. Then his hat was blown off and Alice reached up, trying to grab it. She got swept overboard and her shouts were swept away by the wind as the boat sped of. All of a sudden, a gigantic wave came and capsized the boat. Alice had tried to swim to Hatter, but she couldn't find him. She fought the waves as best she could, but woke up thrashing around.

The next dreams were harder to remember, and mostly consisted of being chased or tortured or trapped. The final dream, however, was a doozy. Alice was back in the Gaming Room, hugging her father. At first Alice was ecstatic that her father was alive again, but, in a rush of information, she remembered that her father was about to die. As soon as she thought this, she was floating about the scene, watching in horror as her body continued to hug Robert. Alice tried to scream, to warn her dad that he was about to be shot. But no sound came out of her mouth, nothing happened when she tried to move. It was a horrible parody of an out-of-body experience. The gun rang out, deafening, and Robert collapsed. But then a weird fuzz spread over the scene for just a moment, and Alice's father was standing again. The same gunshot exploded through Alice's mind a second time, a third, a fourth, a fifth…her father fell again and again. Finally Alice curled up and cried. She didn't look any more. And the gunshots stopped. But then the unthinkable happened. One of the drugged Oysters detached from the tables, and looked up at Alice for a moment. Alice's jaw dropped in shock. It was her mother.

"Alice? Alice? Where am I?" She asked, confused and scared, unable to find her daughter. It seemed that Alice had disappeared from the casino floor.

"Mom! Mom! Mom! I'm right here! Run, Mom! _Run!_" Alice screamed and screamed, trying to get to her mother. But Carol, like everyone else, seemed unable to hear her. Walrus walked up to Alice's mom and put a gun to her head, at which point Alice realized something else. _Where was Hatter?_ As soon as she thought that, she was answered. A Suit marched Hatter out from behind him, pointing a gun at his head too. Hatter looked beaten up and broken. He was missing his hat.

"Alice!" Walrus roared in his deep and terrible baritone. "Come out now!" "This is your last chance, Alice! Or we kill them both…slowly!" Alice screamed and beat at the invisible floor that was holding her above the crowd. No one seemed able to perceive her. Then, in unison, Carol and Hatter looked up at her, as if they could suddenly see her. The look of betrayal, disbelieving, sorrow, and – most upsetting of all – _love,_ that they wore was heartbreaking. Suddenly, with a crack like an iceberg breaking, they both fell to the ground, twin pools of blood blossoming around their heads. Alice screamed then, a wordless sound of anguish and pain. She screamed until she could no longer make any sound, and she collapsed into a ball and sobbed wordlessly. Then there was another crack and Alice woke up. There were tears of her face.

"Honey?" Carol's worried face looked down at her.

"Mom?" Alice glanced around wildly, taking in the bed, the walls, realizing she was in her own room. "Ohmygod Mom, I had the worst dream. You got…you got…you died!" And Alice burst into tears again.

"Oh, honey! It's okay; I'm alive and well. Come on, let's go talk about it. I'll make you some tea." Carol nudged Alice out of bed. She didn't refuse.

"But Mom, isn't it the middle of the night?" Alice asked, confused.

"Yes, but I've had terrible nightmares too, and you can't go back to sleep on them. If you do, you get worse nightmares. So come on." Alice smiled. Her mother was definitely interesting. "Okay," Carol said when they were both sitting on the couch in the living room. "Now what was your dream about?" Alice took a deep breath and thought carefully.

"Well, there were two. In the first one, I was picnicking with Hatter and then we had to leave, so we got on this boat, and then I was on the boat with dad, and it was that summer where we hit the big storm, but then dad turned into Hatter and he was trying to steer the boat, and then his hat blew off, and I tried to reach it, and I fell overboard, and the boat capsized, and I couldn't find Hatter!" Alice started to cry again. Carol rubbed Alice's shoulders.

"Poor baby! But that wasn't the worst one, was it?" Alice shook her head mournfully. "Do you want to talk about it?" Alice nodded. She opened her mouth…and stopped. She was going to have to lie a little bit.

"So…um…well, dad and I were in this big room that looked like a casino, and there were all these people standing at the tables like windup dolls that hadn't been wound up. And there were these bad guys there, and dad and I were hugging, and all of a sudden I realized that one of the bad guys was going to shoot dad." Alice giggled hysterically at her use of the term "bad guys". "So, as soon as I realized that, I was sort of floating above the whole thing, and I couldn't make any noise. I tried to warn dad, but he got shot. And then the whole thing rewound a little, or something, and he got shot again, and it happened again and again, and again…it was horrible. And then finally it stopped, and one of the people just standing at the tables stood up, and it was you! And you were trying to find me, but I had kind of disappeared from the room, and I was only floating above everything. And then this big fat guy with a moustache, the one who shot dad, his name was Walrus. Anyway, he grabbed you and pointed a gun at your head. Then some other Suit, ah, _guy_, came out, and he had Hatter and was pointing a gun at him. And then Walrus told me that if I didn't come out, they would shoot you both. But I _couldn't_, because I was stuck watching the whole thing and couldn't move. So they shot you." Alice started crying, but she had sort of cried herself out, so she just hiccupped and sobbed dryly. There was something she need to do, something that would make her feel better…

"Honey? Do you want to call Hatter?" That was the thing missing, Alice realized, even as her mother asked her. Hatter. Alice nodded. "Okay, well, I'm going back to bed, okay?" Alice nodded again. Carol walked off, and Alice walked to the phone. She dialed the number for Hatter, and waited. At first she thought that he wouldn't wake up, but a groggy voice answered the phone.

"Yes?" Hatter slurred, his accent made much more pronounced by the time of night, well, morning.

"Hatter? I had the worst nightmares! Can I tell you about them?" Alice realized how ridiculous her request was. She waited for Hatter to turn her down.

"Alice? Yeah, of course! Definitely. Tell me about it." Alice smiled into the phone. She took a deep breath and told him both of her dreams, every detail, everything she hadn't told her mother. When she was done, Hatter let out a deep breath. "I'm coming over."

"What? Hatter, you can't do that, it's like one in the morning! My mom's here! No, just go back to sleep. I'll be fine. They're just nightmares." Alice attempted to scoff, but her voice cracked and the fear leaked through. She groaned internally.

"Nope, sorry, Alice, I'm already dressed. I'll see you in a few. Love you." And the phone clicked. Alice groaned, externally this time. How would she explain this to her mom?

"Explain what?" Carol stood in the doorway, looking curious Alice realized that she had spoken out loud.

"Hatter, erm, ah…" Alice couldn't find words. She took a deep breath. "I-told-him-the-dreams-and-then-he-said-he's-coming-over-I-tried-to-stop-him-but-there-was-nothing-I-could-do-I'm-really-really-sorry." The words came out in a rush and Alice blushed.

"He's coming over?" Carol didn't sound that angry. Alice hung her head anyway. "Good. He must be devoted to you if he's going to come over at one thirty in the morning for you because of nightmares. That, or he really wants to get in you pajamas."

"Mom!" Alice shrieked, shocked. She threw a pillow at her mother. "So you're not mad?" Carol shook her head.

"I'm getting used to this relationship, Alice. I'm more flexible than you think. Now I'm going to bed. Try not to be too loud." Carol walked back into her room, leaving Alice to retrieve the pillow, which she did. Then she sat and waited. Sometime later, a muffled knock came at the door. Alice rushed to open it. Hatter stood there in a t-shirt and jeans, grinning sleepily. He was wearing a fedora. Alice rolled her eyes.

"C'mon, you." She dragged him into her room and flopped on the bed. "Now, I'm tired, so only sleeping." Hatter held up his hands defensively.

"Further thing from me mind," he said seriously. Alice snorted.

"Yeah, right. C'mon, I'm tired." Hatter practically ran over, pulling off his boots and jeans – but leaving his hat on - and crawling into the bed, which was markedly too small for the both of them. Alice curled up with Hatter, and being that close to him broke Alice's tough façade. "Hatter, it was so scary!" She whimpered.

"Alice, look at me." Alice dutifully looked up, and Hatter's lips met hers for a moment. "I'm right here," he whispered. Alice nodded, and Hatter kissed the tears from her cheeks, tears she hadn't known she had cried. "Now sleep," Hatter ordered gently. Alice touched his hat brim lovingly. Then she rested her head on his chest and immediately fell asleep. There were no nightmares this time.

* * *

**The bit about being on Lake Champlain was something that happened to me. There were like ten people in one boat, and it started taking on water... imagine being in a wet bathing suit in a boat traveling really fast while being pelted by rain and having huge waves splash you. It was really cold. Actually, it was kind of fun, in retrospect. Anyway, please review! I love you all, but my reviewers get cookies!**


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